Canada considers extending mission in Afghanistan to 2014

Nov 9, 2010, 3:00 GMT

Montreal - Canada is considering extending its military's stay in Afghanistan in a training capacity beyond the announced withdrawal in the summer of 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office confirmed Monday.

The Canadians will leave Kandahar, but would likely remain in Afghanistan until 2014, Harper's spokesman Dimitri Soudas said.

'It means we're out of Kandahar,' Soudas said in an interview with broadcaster CBC. 'Canadians have sacrificed a lot. The lives of our men and women must not go in vain. That is why after 2011 we will continue to play a role, but that role will not be a combat role.'

Soudas refused to divulge any specifics of the new mission.

However, leaked reports to the media suggested that the government is considering sending up to 1,000 troops to Kabul to assist with training of the Afghan National Army and police. The government is prepared to assign 700 to 750 military trainers and 200 support staff to prepare the Afghan forces as they assume greater responsibility for fighting the Taliban.

Canada's combat mission in the southern province of Kandahar, which involves about 2,800 troops, is due to expire in July 2011 in accordance with a motion passed in Parliament. But over the last several months, NATO allies, including the United States, have pressured Canada to remain.

'We respect the Canadian government's domestic as well as foreign policy needs but we would really, really appreciate if the Canadian government and people could see their way clear to continue a presence, at least in the training area,' US Senator John McCain told broadcaster CTV on Sunday. 'As you know, that's a vital part of any success of counter-insurgency strategy.'

Canadian troops along with their US and British allies have borne the brunt of the fighting in Kandahar. With 152 soldiers killed and over 1,500 injured, the Canadians have suffered the largest per capita losses of any other NATO force, making Canada's combat role increasingly unpopular with large segments of the population.

As recently as October 9, Harper had vowed to end the combat role. Harper's minority Tories would need the support of the opposition Liberals to carry the motion extending Canada's role for another three years.

But Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, who has been urging Harper to maintain some role in Afghanistan following the 2011 pullout, refused to endorse the plan until the government released more details.

The other two opposition parties, the left-wing New Democratic Party and the separatist Bloc Quebecois, are calling for an immediate withdrawal of Canadian troops.

Details of the Canadian mission are expected to be hashed out before Harper's scheduled meeting with NATO leaders in Lisbon on November 18.

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